The first few clips from Elvis Costello’s new talkshow, Spectacle, are up and there are some great excerpts. Here’s my favorite clip with Lou Reed on songwriting:
EDIT: I can’t help but include this short clip where Bill Clinton explain why he didn’t become a jazz saxophonist.
The Last Word: Odetta
The New York Times has a fantastic lengthy interview and a sort of video eulogy of Odetta. She was incredibly honest and knew what was going on. (I’m going to pull a Daring Fireball and post liberally about Odetta now that she’s dead.)
Paul McCartney Defends Experimentation
A short response article to a recent Guardian critique of McCartney. In the first piece, the author wondered why McCartney had a need to prove to the audience that he was experimental by releasing an electronic album and a sideways sounding Beatles jam. McCartney replies:
The thing about experimenting is that it’s good fun. It’s interesting to do something you don’t do normally. It takes you into places you didn’t plan to go to. That’s quite an interesting aspect. Linda always liked to go for a drive and try and get lost. Most drivers don’t want to get lost - but she’d like it. And that idea of losing your bearings, as long as it’s not in deepest Africa, is something I like. I’ve always liked it. Because when you don’t always know what’s going on, that’s when you can really surprise yourself.
Spectacle with Elvis Costello
Check out the guest list for the forthcoming Elvis Costello talk show. I’ve heard he performs with many of the musical guests after the interview section. It should be very interesting.
01- Elton John
02- Lou Reed + Julian Schnabel
03- Bill Clinton
04- James Taylor
05- Tony Bennett
06- The Police
07- Rufus Wainwright
08- Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash, Norah Jones, John Mellencamp
09- Renée Fleming
10- Herbie Hancock
11- She & Him, Jenny Lewis, Jakob Dylan
12- Diana Krall
13- Smokey Robinson
You’ve seen this– RIGHT?
Song 320: Festering Gospels & Costume Jewelry
I just got my new telecaster and I’ve been abusing it with my dumb fingers. I especially like the way this verbose idiocy turned out, so I’m going to link it here.
I’ve had enough of you false prophecy- With your festering gospels and costume jewelry- Your incest and your nonchalance- Your commercialized pragmatic finger-pointing Idealism-
Theme Time Blog Post: Elections, Part 1
Posted at 3:09 AMOkay Wonkette, I see your election day theme time musical jamboree and offer more election music for your consideration.
First, Hank Williams, the father of the football guy, sings to us. Singing about You’re Gonna Change (Or I’m Gonna Leave), because who can’t agree with that?
Next, let’s go with Lie To Me by Tom Waits, because, MY FRIENDS, YES WE CAN have federally financed enemas, fancy Neiman’s jackets and balance the budget, too.
And of course John Zorn’s magical Ballad of Hank John McCain, because an angry man goes blind and knocks his head against the wall.
For the undecided voter, some inspiration from Scott Walker’s 30 Century Man.
Jokerman done in a riff-rock style. Pretty cool stuff.
The Tallest Man on Earth is the moniker of the folk musician Kristian Matsson of Dalarna, Sweden. Matsson also sings in a band called Montezumas.
Via 3ack.
From Beck to Hendrix
An interesting collection of rock and roll photography from Autumn and Jerry de Wilde focusing on the last 10 years and the 1960s. Is Thom Yorke wearing a calculator watch?
Distribution is Distribution, Not an Instant Fan-Base
Posted at 9:57 PMTorrentfreak reports that a donation based online music model doesn’t necessarily guarantee success:
This year, several established bands have decided to give away their music for free, while giving fans the option to donate whatever they seem fit. For Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails it was a great success since they made more money from the donation model than they would have otherwise. However, it seems that this doesn’t hold for less established artists.
I’m sorry, but what exactly were these other bands expecting? Did they honestly believe that the reason for Radiohead’s and NIN’s success was their distribution model? (Update: And when did NIN ever use a donation model?)
Your method of distribution is just that: your method of distribution. It is not a substitute for hard work, publicity and a fan base.
I’ve been giving my music away for free for almost a year now and I’ve just started to get a pretty consistent set of listeners. I don’t think donation systems or giveaways guarantee you an audience anymore than having a record deal does.
That being said it doesn’t have to do with the quality of the recording. If you upload a torrent for Transformers 2 and let’s say Kieslowskis Bleu, the one with public approval and exposure is obviously going to get downloaded more, but that doesn’t make the lesser known one any worse.
When this was a novelty it may have generated some listenership, but it’s sort of like having Blue Ray DVD out with only a few titles: the titles first available are going to get more attention. As it becomes less special, it will become a standard practice rather than a risky novelty. Artist promotion isn’t going to end, even if the standard record industry does.
Prince Show Needs to Be Bootlegged/Released
Prince performs to a crowd of 200 with a stripped down band and a load of covers. Someone needs to bootleg this show. Please don’t sue me for saying that.
The set list:
Show One:
- New Song
- “1999″
- “I Feel For You”
- “Controversy”
- “Sexy Dancer/Le Freak”
- “Miss You”
- “Satisfied”
- “Beggin’ Woman Blues”
- “Purple Rain”
- “A Love Bizarre”
- “What Is Hip”
- “Stratus”
- “Cream”
- “U Got the Look”
- “Nothing Compares 2 U”
Show Two:
- “Crimson and Clover”/”Wild Thing” (Tommie James/Troggs)
- “Let’s Go” (Cars)
- “7″
- “Come Together” (Beatles)
- “1999″
- “Controversy”
- “Sexy Dancer/Freak Out” (Chic)
- “Long Train Running” (Doobie Brothers)
- “Shhh”
- “Musicology”/Prince & The Band
- “3121″
- “Girls & Boys”
- “Honky Tonk Woman” (Rolling Stones)
- “Stratus” (Billy Cobham)
- “Miss You” (Rolling Stones)
- “Red House” (Jimi Hendrix)
- “Purple Rain”
Encore:
- Dave Chappelle set
- “Brown Skin” (India.Arie) (sung by Shelby)
- “In The Morning” (Sung by Shelby)
- “You Can’t Hide Love” (Earth Wind & Fire)
- “Love’s Taken Over” (Chante Moore) Sung by Marva King
- “I Want To Be Free” (Ohio Players)
- “Cream”
- “U Got The Look”
- “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” (Janet Jackson)
- “Partyman”
- “It’s Alright” (Graham Central Station)
- “Alphabet St.”
- “The Bird”
- “Jungle Love”
- “The Glamorous Life”
- “Love Bizarre” (w/Housequake)
Yer Blues by The Dirty Mac because… well, why not?
To follow up an unprecedented number of youtube videos, here’s an unprecedented second post about Omnichords. Oh, and it’s just another fucking youtube video.
Don’t Trust Wikipedia
On the Omnichord:
Scientists have recently uncovered hidden omnichord sounds deep within David Bowie’s song Heroes. There is still some debate as to which function in particular is being heard, but there is no doubt that the sonic signature is that of a late 80s omnichord. This has sparked a wild gold rush to find other Bowie tunes that may contain omnichord parts. Thus far, Space Oddity has returned no results.